Archive for the ‘links and other good stuff’ Category

Really great examples of people who found ways to disconnect as volunteers in a NYTimes project. All the stories are different and for me at least help me to remember how important this is. it’s hard to even keep my own blog top of mind when the whirlwind of connectivity grabs you at every turn. I know I’m in that space again when I have trouble sleeping…so much hitting my brain every moment. My new thing, chanting is helping a bit to keep centered and reduce anxiety, but I know it’s time for another digibreak!

“‘Tis the season to get your s*^# together. Here’s the Maxim cheat sheet to decluttering, destressing, and de-hating your existence…..”
A list, half in jest of things you can do to simplify your existence:Spring Clean Your Life by Maxim Staff

This article helps articulate yet another reason to learn to separate your “real” life from your digital “life” (support network, phone, ipod, ipad, pda, etc.). “Time” and “quality time” are not one and the same. Trying to carry on a conversation with kids has always been a bit of a challenge, but now it’s hard to even keep their attention. Same with us…how many times have you said to your children, or anyone for that matter, “give me just a sec, I have to respond to this email right away”. If we continue to set the example of our need to be constantly connected and entertained, what can we expect but a generation of disconnectedness? What happened to the days when you’d stand in line and chat with interesting folks, at the store, movie theatre, airport…..Now, you look at a line, even in a Starbucks and half the folks are on their pda’s.

Positive Psychology is very cool stuff. This site is by the founder of it, Martin Seligman. There’s some great stuff here and the field is exploding. You may not agree with all of it, but it’s all about happiness. There’s lots of tests, you can ask how you stack up and it helps you get on solid footing for your own appreciation and understanding of happiness and what makes you happy.

Srikumar Rao: Plug into your hard-wired happiness
Fabulous talk at Columbia, posted on TED.com
There is nothing that you have to get, do or be in order to be happy. If that’s so why am I experiencing “my life sucks”. Because you have spent your entire life learning how to be unhappy. “If …… then I’ll be happy….”Many of those things you wanted ten years ago you now have….”, yet you’re still not happy….try and remember a time when you saw a beautiful site, a rainbow, a fabulous landscape, a time when you accepted the universe for what it was. You accepted the universe for what it was/is but now you want more. Invest in the process not the outcome, love what you do not just what you get.

Many of us pooh pooh the idea of a spiritual teacher. I consider myself one of the lucky ones who was able to spend significant time with an amazing sifu. Check out David’s article about his journey (one of!).